Empty Storefronts Grow at Towson Mall as Shops Exit

Towson Town Center now has one in four storefronts sitting empty. Stoney River Steakhouse plans to shut its doors on June 26, joining Apple, Capitol Luggage, Banana Republic, Tommy Bahama, and Madewell, which all left recently. The exodus shows how malls everywhere face a triple threat: shoppers now buy more online, the economy is tighter, and local crime worries keep people away after dark. At the same time, high school and college students have been gathering at the mall in large groups, sometimes causing trouble. Some residents say the mall feels safer before noon and riskier after sunset. Others point to the rise of Amazon and other websites as the main problem. Young shoppers like Aidan Tippery admit they rarely visit malls anymore because searching on a phone is faster and cheaper.Yet money is not the whole story. Local leaders worry about a shrinking tax base—empty stores mean fewer sales taxes for schools and streets. They also note that Towson already offers more than ninety restaurants within a single mile, so every new opening has to fight for the same hungry customers. Some malls in other cities have turned old retail spaces into gyms, clinics, or even pickleball courts to bring people back. The question now is whether Towson Town Center can try something similar before more signs go dark.